Brust leads Badgers past Bowling Green

History shows Wisconsin's defense will improve as the basketball season advances toward March.

If UW's defense makes the expected jump and can complement the versatility the Badgers have displayed on offense through five games, Bo Ryan's team will be entertaining to watch and tough to defeat.

UW's spacing and ball movement were excellent Thursday night at the Kohl Center. That led to an array of open looks from inside and from the three-point line in front of an announced crowd of 16,807.

With the Badgers hitting those shots at a dizzying pace, the Badgers handled Bowling Green, 88-64, in their first game of the Cancun Challenge.

“This group has a lot of guys who put work in and have made sure that when they get the opportunity with an open look, they're going to knock it down,” senior guard Ben Brust said after hitting 5 of 6 three-pointers en route to a game-high 19 points. “It shows right here. I don't have to say anything. The proof is in the pudding.

“We've got a lot of guys who can score and pass the ball to get good looks.”

Sophomore forward Sam Dekker added 14 points for UW (5-0). Ditto for junior forward Frank Kaminsky, two nights after his program-record, 43-point performance against North Dakota. Dekker had four turnovers, but he also scored six consecutive points to spark a decisive 24-8, first-half run to help UW take a 44-28 halftime lead.